Matt’s mother kept all his childhood memories in a small box, amongst the many photos of Matt as a child. But something about those photos has always puzzled Matt. Is that really him? Why does he not remember those clothes and toys? And where, in the photos, is his sister Imogen?

Imogen, meanwhile, is living with her husband and their baby in a rented cottage. Ever since her childhood she has loved the Summer House, a charming folly in the grounds of a beautiful and ancient house on Exmoor, and now they have the chance of buying it. But the Summer House provides the key to the strange and tragic secret which has affected Matt’s whole life.

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Quotes & Awards

“Like Rosamunde Pilcher and Maeve Binchy, Willett creates such fully dimensional characters that readers feel as if they should phone or e-mail them to keep in touch.”

Rocky Mountain News, praise for the author

Listener Opinions

Bee | 2/20/2014

" This was a very pleasant read, but not up to par with some of my favorite Marcia Willett books (THE CHILDREN'S HOUR, for one). The characters were engaging and I enjoyed the storyline, but it felt the slightest bit stilted compared to her other stuff. As an aside, I guessed the twist almost immediately -- this didn't spoil the story, but there you have it. "

Carolynne | 2/15/2014

" Three and a half stars for me: likable characters (as usual the most interesting characters are beyond the flush of youth). In this book they are Lottie and Milo, who have lived together for years as brother and sister, and Milo's lover, the formerly glamorous and still flirtatious-at-70 Venetia. The main characters, however, are Imogen, who longs to buy the summer house she has loved since childhood, improvident Nick (Milo's son) who is ready to trade in his difficult wife for Imogen, and Imogen's big brother Matt, who is haunted by half-memories and by pictures of himself he does not remember. The three different plot threads are nearly, but no quite, tied together, and I think there is room for a sequel. Is it possible there is change to come in the relationship of warm-hearted Lottie and typically British Milo? The book is somewhat reminiscent of Willett's _Memories of the Storm_ in its depiction of family trauma only fleetingly remembered, and of the Chadwick Chronicles (_Looking Forward_, etc.) in its protrayal of three young people whose lives are changed and intertwined, but without its satisfying sense of completeness. "

Vicki | 2/9/2014

" I really liked this book. It's not my usual read, but I think most people would enjoy it. It's a little bit mystery, but mostly about a family and some of the issues that come with families. "

Melanie | 2/8/2014

" It was okay. After Matt's mother dies, Matt, the main character, is trying to find out why he feels as if something has always been missing in his life and why he can not make emotional connections with anyone outside his family. Things don't start to make sense to him until very late in the book. I was wondering what was going to happen since I was quickly running out of pages to read. Then all of these coincidences occur and things fall into place for Matt. In my opinion, the coincidences were hokey. The story seemed to drag on a forever and then suddenly everything is figured out (I don't want to give anything away). I would have liked to know more about the results of Matt's discovery. I think that would have been more interesting than the rest of the book. "

Knitme23 | 2/7/2014

" Still a fluff book, but a step higher than The Great Escape. The writing is a little wooden, and the plot is both contrived and predictable, but it's an enjoyable book, maybe because Willett seems to believe so whole-heartedly in what she writes about: the healing power of the English countryside and family love, even (especially) if that family is patched together. She introduces WAY too many characters whose relationships are far too complex in far too casual a way at the start (Tom was the author of the book Lottie was editing, and Matt and Imogene are his children, sort of adopted by Lottie, who lives with Old Soldier Whose Name I Forget (but platonically) whose ex-wife sara is angry at Old Soldier for allowing them to do so, and Old Soldier's mistress, Venetia, visits some woman named Clara, whose purpose and identity I never figured out. . . . I think Willett's editor should've pointed out that while her characters all made sense to her, they would be overwhelming to the readers!
Anyway. A pleasant book. "

Diane Davis | 2/1/2014

" Another great book by Marcia Willett.. She writes of the English countryside and people and is very discriptive..I enjoyed this book immensly.. "

Ashlei | 1/20/2014

" I think this book was ok, it took a bit to get into, but it wasn't my cup of tea "

Lynn Shurden | 1/12/2014

" Enjoying working my way through her novels. "

Jen | 12/30/2013

" I enjoyed this book although the ending was a little abrupt. "

Scott Loman | 12/23/2013

" My reading history with Willett is hit and miss but each book is a self-contained story full of good characterization, beautiful settings, and involving plots. I'm sure those who have read the series from the start have had a thoroughly rewarding experience. "

Anne | 12/22/2013

" Ok and easy to read. English village novel. Bit "twee" at times and the ending fell flat. "

Mary Fell | 12/22/2013

" Loved this book as I do almost all of her books. Her books remind me of Rosamund Pilcher'sand Maeve Binchey's, two more of my favorite authors. "

Marianne | 12/7/2013

" Wonderful light read. Familar with the area, so made it more fun to read. "

Cathy | 12/4/2013

" Marcia Willett is one of my favorite authors...this book I truly enjoyed and do recommend it highly. "

Linda | 11/24/2013

" What can I say, I have enjoyed all of Marcia Willett's books. I think I only one more to read and I will be so sorry to have to move on to other authors. I would love to have a home like the Summer House, yes that is the home's name. Hope you all enjoy it as much as I did. "

Carol MacInnis | 10/31/2013

" A story about family and one member in particular who feels and has always felt that something is amiss. Marcia Willett kept me intrigued right to the last chapter. A very enjoyable read. "

Eve | 8/24/2013

" Half way through and this just isn't holding my attention... "

Suzanne | 7/3/2013

" Marcia Willet is a wonderful storyteller. I am going to try to find some of her earlier books. "

Peggy | 5/12/2013

" Loved this book. My first read from this author. Wouldn't say it is great literature, but it was a good story and was transported back to London which I dearly love and miss. I will read more of her books. "

Kristy Trauzzi | 4/18/2013

" This book went no where. It didn't even have a good "following someone's life" story that I am usually a total sucker for. I was bored by the almosts and the what ifs and just felt myself going COME ON SOMETHING HAPPEN! Sigh.It was horrible. "

Shayda Fathipour felix | 12/19/2012

" I liked the characters in this book, but the story seemed to move slow. I wanted something big to happen, but it never really did. There is lots of description almost to much. The end left me disappointed. I'm glad it was a fast read I may have put down otherwise. "

Arleta | 10/9/2012

" Good book. Parts of it made me sad, because of where my life is right now. I really did enjoy reading it, though. I thought the ending left an opening for a sequel. "

Jeanne Mulcahy | 8/14/2012

" I'll always up for a trip to rural England. I was a bit let down by the ending. But I enjoyed it. "

Leone | 6/19/2012

" Really enjoyed getting to know the characters in this book and how they interacted with one another. It left me looking for a sequel so I could spend more time with them. "

Jane | 5/21/2012

" I enjoyed this but did feel that it was slow going and lacking punch.....not her best book to date "

Dawn | 2/15/2012

" A contemporary family saga set in England. "

Ila | 1/15/2012

" I finished it, but I'm not sure it was worth the effort. It just moved so slowly. I really wanted to like the story and the characters but I just didn't really connect with them. "

Other Titles by Marcia Willett:

About the Author

Marcia Willett’s early
life was devoted to the ballet, but her dreams of becoming a ballerina ended
when she grew out of the classical proportions then required. She had always
loved books, and a family crisis made her take up a new career as a novelist—a
decision she has never regretted. She lives in a beautiful, wild part of Devon
with her husband, where she loves to be visited by her son and his young
family.

About the Narrator

June Barrie has
appeared in over eighty productions at the Bristol Old Vic, including playing
Marina in Uncle Vanya, Mrs. Alving in
Ghosts, Mrs. Conway in J. B.
Priestley’s Time and the Conways, and
the title roles in Driving Miss Daisy
and Stevie. She has extensive
experience on radio in plays and serials, while her television credits include Close Relations, Coasting, Seduction, and
the BAFTA-nominated Dual Balls.

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